The goal of our article is to inform the Toronto Cycle Association of the most popular time periods and places of bicycle thefts. We will explore the most popular years, months, days, and hours thefts occur and where the thefts occur the most. This information will inform readers of where and when to take most caution when parking their bikes.
While Toronto is known for its bustling downtown core and vibrant neighbourhoods, its cycling community has become increasingly exposed to a sense of vulnerability. With bike thefts hitting high numbers, Toronto cyclists are questioning the safety of their bikes and the city’s commitment to protecting them. But with few answers from the city, bike riders are left to wonder: How safe are we on the streets of Toronto?
Rising and Falling Trends: Thefts Over the Past Decade
Over the past ten years, bicycle thefts have fluctuated dramatically. From 2014 to 2019 thefts increased drastically, reaching almost 4 000 thefts in 2019—a 30% increase from 2014! This highlights that bicycle thefts are not an isolated problem, it is a broader issue across the whole city of Toronto.
However in 2020, numbers fell significantly. From 2020 to 2023 there were 936 less reported thefts. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, urban life was completely altered. Factors like more people working from home and fewer commuters travelling to work or school shifted bicycle theft patterns. The reduction of public activity provided limited opportunities for bicycle thefts to occur in public spaces.
Although the overall total number of bicycle thefts decreased during COVID-19, the number of bicycle thefts pertaining to thefts that happen in indoor environments increased during this time period.
Seasons at Risk: The Peak Months of Theft
Summers in Toronto are known to be hot, vibrant, and packed with activities, making it one of the best times to explore the city. From outdoor festivals and night markets to scenic bike trails across the waterfront, there is something for everyone to enjoy. However, it is also the riskiest season for cyclists, as bike thefts peak between May and September.
Over the past decade, the number of thefts during the peak months has remained consistent each year, meaning your bike is at risk each and every summer.
The spike in thefts begins in May as warmer weather encourages more people to cycle, whether for commuting, exercise or recreation purposes. The numbers increased dramatically in June, reaching a peak of almost 6000 thefts over the past decade! If cyclists choose to take advantage of the warm weather, they must take extra precautions when doing so.
What Time of Day Has the Most Thefts? A Day and Hour Breakdown
No matter the weather, cyclists are always on the streets of Toronto. Although bike thefts are most common in the summer, it still remains a significant issue all-year round. Looking further into each week of bike thefts, there are some days and hours where bike thefts occur the most.
Biking home from work? If this sounds like you, take precaution. The number of thefts tend to peak around rush hour (5pm to 6pm), especially. Totaling the past decade, the highest number of thefts on a given day and hour is Wednesdays at 6pm, with 440 incidents recorded.
Biking around the city for lunch? Bicycle thefts have a small peak around 12:00 pm for every single day, with increases on the weekend.
Regardless of the time of day, bike thefts in Toronto remain a consistent concern, with higher risks during peak hours such as rush hour and lunchtime, making it crucial for cyclists to stay alert and take precautions daily.
Is Your Area “Hot” for Bike Thefts?
Not only are certain times more at risk, but so may be the region you are in! Over the years the concentration of bike thefts are consistently around the heart of Toronto, as well as surrounding universities like York University and University of Toronto. The further away from the center of the city you are, the less thefts there usually are.
Neighbourhoods with Consistently Higher Theft Levels:
- Annex
- University
- Church-Wellesley
- Junction Wallace Emerson
- St. Lawrence-East Bayfront - The Islands
- Downtown Yonge East
Even within a neighborhood, there tends to be further trends in the type of location. Apartments have a significantly noticeable increase from 2014 making 14% of total thefts to 36% in 2020, and although the number of thefts significantly decreased in 2023, it still made up 27% of total thefts. Locations like homes, streets, parking lots, and other commercial areas among the most common theft premises types are also beginning to decrease in number, but remain around the same percent of total thefts. These types of locations remain popular spots for thefts, with the decrease in numbers due to the corresponding decrease in bike thefts overall per year.
What you might find surprising though, is that the neighbourhoods that consistently have higher numbers of thefts each year actually dropped during 2020 when COVID-19 first hit, while the neighbourhoods that have less thefts peaked. Cities like Avondale rose by 216% from 2019 to 2020! Eglinton East, Oakdale Beverly Hills, and Yonge Eglinton also increased.
Don’t let this fool you though, many neighbourhoods with consistently higher thefts were still relatively higher than the lower neighbourhoods, with the distribution of total thefts just spread more across the city. The thefts in these hotspot neighbouhoods have been back to increasing again from 2020 to 2023 and they remain the most risky places to get your bikes stolen!
Something to note is that since it is still 2024, not all thefts have been reported by the Toronto Police yet which explains the sudden drop in thefts and missing data for this year.
What to Watch Out For As a Biker ?
Bike thefts are most common during the summer months. If you plan to spend a summer day in Toronto on your bike, it is essential to take extra precautions when leaving your bike unattended. On a day-to-day basis, if you plan to bike during peak times such as rush hour or lunch time, it is important to stay attentive. Taking measures such as doubling your locks and registering your bike with the City of Toronto are some things a cyclist can do to protect their bike and improve security. By consistently taking these steps, cyclists can work together to protect bikes across Toronto.
The top neighbourhoods for bike thefts are ones that are structured to contain many of the top bike theft location types as well. If you are in these hot spots for thefts, you should increase awareness about bike theft prevention to help fellow bikers know when and where it is safe to leave their bikes. Within an apartment, home, private property, or parking lots, there should be work done to help everyone get access to better storage of their bikes as many thefts are indoors. For students who bike around university or others who just love to bike, it is important to raise awareness of the risks they may face based on the time and place they are riding in.
Working as a Community
Since the number of thefts in the data are only the reported bike thefts, there may be discrepancies between current trends and risks. If everyone works together in the community, and alerts each other of theft hotspots and the time of stolen bikes, then we can create a collective effort in reducing thefts!
Source: Unsplash